Air-feed control for stopers



Sept. 22, 1925.

C. C. HANSEN AIR FEED CONTROL FOR STOPERS Filed March 26., 1925 f il ' INVENTOR. (finale-401712125011- (444% H 5- ATTOR EY Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES c. HANSEN, or nns'ron, PENNSYLVANIA, Assrenoa To rnennsonn-nann COMPANY, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

AIR-FEED CONTROL FOR STOPERS.

Application filed March 26, 1925. Serial No. 18,375.

To aZZ whomv it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. HANsnN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Eastou, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain Air-Feed Control for Stopers, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to fluid actuated rock drills of the hammer type, but more particularly to means for controlling the air feeding element of a stops drill.

Stope drills are usually equipped with a handle for controlling the rotation of the drill steel. The handle thus provided may be used either as a means for rotating the machine and steel as a unit or "for holding the machine against rotation in case the steel is rotated automatically. Ordinarily this type of machine is provided with a pressure fluid feeding element for holding the steel against the work. Pressure fluid from the same source is admitted to the feed cylinder simultaneously with the admission of pressure. fluid to the hammer cylinder.

Whenever the steel binds or becomes stuck in the drill hole, it is preferable that the hammer continues to reciprocate while the machine is lowered somewhat to loosen the steel. This is usually accomplished by re leasing pressure fluid from the feed cylinder. Various means have been devised for accomplishing this result, usually requiring the other hand to be used, which is some times impossible due to the position and location of the work. Also the construction has heretofore required a considerable number of movable parts and owing to the hard usage to which machines of this type are ordinarily subjected, some diliiculty has been experienced in maintaining fluid tight joints in the releasing mechanism.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to simplify the construction of air feed controlling devices and insure ease and certainty of operation.

Another object is to produce an air feed controlling device in which the size of the exhaust passage may be varied for different pressure volumes.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention consists of the combination of elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operation substantially as herein after described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a stope drill embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of aportion of a rotation handle showing the grip sleeve in normally upward position, anc

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the grip sleeve in a downwardly position to uncover the air feed exhaust passage.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is embodied in a rock drill of the stoper type having a hammer cylinder A. front head B is secured yieldingly to the front end of the cylinder A by side bolts 0 and springs D and supports a drill steel E. Disposed within the cylinder A is a reciprocatory hammer piston (not shown) for de livering impact blows on the drill steel E. The drill steel may be rotated in any suitable manner, but in this instance is rotated by a gear motor (not shown) in a gear casing F.

A head block G forms a closure for the back end of the cylinder A and supports a laterally extending handle H. In this instance, the handle H serves as a means for preventing rotation of the machine with the drill steel E and has a projection J extending at right angles therefrom near its free end. A sleeve K arranged on the projection J serves as a grip for the operator and controls the release of pressure fluid from the feed cylinder. The handle H is provided with a passage L to permit the passage of pressure fluid therethrough,

The feeding element comprises a cylinder 0 secured to the head block G. A piston rod P carries a piston head Q, at one end and at the other end supports a rock engaging pointer R.

Pressure fluid is supplied to the machine through a connection S and the admission of pressure fluid to the cylinders A and O is controlled by a suitable throttle valve (not shown) provided with a lever T. A passage U formed in the head block G establishes communication between the feed cylinder 0 and the passage L.

the line pressure.

the valve Y and for this purpose a portion V Z of the valve Y is screw threaded to cooperate with a corresponding screw threaded portion 2) of the aperture W. The valve Y may be adjusted by inserting a screw driver in the screw slot 0 formed in the end of the threaded portion. Z. A suitable nut (Z is screwed 011 the end of the threaded portion Z of the valve to hold thevalve in adjusted position.

In this instance the release of pressure fluid from the feeding cylinder-is controlled by the sleeve K which is adapted to be pulled downwardly on the projection J to uncover a passage 6 communicating at one end with the aperture W. The sleeve K is arrangedslidably on the projection J and is heldYagainSt rotation'with respect thereto by a rectangular aperture f in the sleeve which cooperates vwith a corresponding squared portion 9 of the projection J. Disposed within a recess 72, of the sleeve K is a spring is which bears at one end against the wall 0 of the sleeve and the other end of the spring bears against a nut p screwed on the end of the projection J. The spring kautomatically closes the sleeve when released'by the operator and holds the sleeve in a normally closed position.

Suitable means are provided for preventingleakage of pressure fluid from the ends of the sleeve K. To this end a packing q which maybe of rubber, or other suitable material, is arranged in a recess r of the sleeve K and is adapted to be pressed against a shoulder s of the projection J by the spring -K. In order to seal the upper end of the sleeve K, a packing t is arranged in a recess u at the juncture of the handle H at the projection J and provides a seat for the upper end of the sleeve.

By this arrangement of parts, the volume of pressure fluid to be released from the feeding element is regulated by theneedle valve Y which controls the passage X, and the position of the needle valve Y with respect to the passage X is determined by If, for instance, the machine is attached to a low pressure air line, the space between the valve Y and the passage X may be increased; but on the other hand, if a higher line pressure is supplied, the space between the valve Y and the passage X is reduced accordingly.

By thus providing separate means for regulating the release of air from the feed cylinder for different pressure volumes, little or no thought is required on the part of the operator as to the correct position of the releasing mechanism for the immediate pressure, as the releasing position of the sleeve 1; is the same for all pressures.

I claim: v

1. Ina rock drill the combination of a fluid pressurefeeding element, having an atmospheric vent, a rotation handle having a projection at an angle therefrom, a sleeve slidable longitudinally on said projection for releasing pressure fluid through the vent from the feeding element, a spring for holding the sleeve in normally closed position, and a normally stationary valve adapted to be adjusted for regulating the venting of pre ire fluid from the feeding element.

In a rock drill the combination of, a fluid pressure feeding element having an atmospheric vent, a rotation handle having a projection at an angle therefrom, asleeve slidable longitudinally on said projection for releasing pressure fluid through the vent from the feeding element, and a normally stationary needle valve having a threaded portion and means whereby the valve may be adjusted for regulating the venting of pressure fluid from the feeding element.

3. In a rock drill the combination of a fluid pressure feeding element having an atmospheric vent with a rotation handle having a projection at-an angle therefrom,

a sleeve slidable longitudinally on said pr-ojectionfor releasing pressure fluid through the vent from the feeding element,'a spring for holding the sleeve in normally closed position, said sleeve being held against rotation with respect to the projection, a spring for holding the sleeve in a normally inward position, a normally stationary needle valve adapted to be adjusted for regulating the venting of pressure fluid from the feeding element, and a packingin the sleeve cooperating with said projection to seal one end of the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES C. HANSEN 

